5/15/14 - Public health officials are encouraging residents to properly cook their food after several people in the state, including one from Livingston County, were diagnosed with E. coli infections. Tainted ground beef has been identified as the culprit in five diagnosed cases of E. coli around Michigan, with the first symptoms having shown up between April 22nd and May 1st. Dr. Don Lawrenchuk is the medical director for the Livingston County Department of Public Health, and he says the disease is usually more dangerous for people with weakened immune systems. However, the one local case was actually diagnosed in an otherwise-healthy young man, and he is expected to make a full recovery. All of the cases are tied to tainted ground beef, though each patient was exposed through a different provider, so no one retailer or restaurant chain is to blame. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says for every case that is officially reported, local health officials can conservatively estimate that 10 cases go unnoticed because the patient either does not seek medical care or is misdiagnosed. Lawrenchuk says his department therefore expects that several other Livingston County residents have been sickened by E. coli during this outbreak. He says food must be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent foodborne illness, and undercooked food always creates a risk of infection. (TD)
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